Gig-saddle



(No Model.)

0. A. WHITE.

GIG SADDLE.

No. 518,435. Patented Apr. 17,1894.

111: NATIONAL LITNOGRAFHING COMPANY.

WASHINGTON, a. c.

UNlTE TATES PATENT Fries.

GIG-SADDLE.

SPECEEIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,435, dated April17, 1894.

Applic ti n fi August 18. 1893. Serial No. 483,442. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS A. WHITE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Carlisle, in the county of Nicholas, State of Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gig-Saddles, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beingbad to the accompanying drawings.

My improvements relate more particularly to the fittings for gig saddleswhereby the saddle may be readily reversed in position to bring the wearon the saddle padding on the opposite sides thereof and to certainimprovements in the construction of the terrets and tug bearer strap,all of which will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out andclaimed.

In gig saddles as usually constructed, the saddle seat, the check reinhook, the terrets and tug bearer straps are all securelystitched orotherwise fastened to the saddle, so that they can not be removed orreplaced Without practically tearing out the stitching and destroyingthe saddle, and as a result when one portion of the saddle is Worn outthe entire saddle is practically worthless. Especially is this so withthe wear on the padding. The wear in the padding where it comes incontact with the shoulders of the horse, is ordinarily on the front sideof the padding and with the usual construction and fastening of thesaddle seat and check rein hook it is impossible to reverse the positionof these parts without tearing the saddle.

One part of my invention consists in such construction that the saddleseat and hook may be reversed readily and at a moments notice, so thatthe wear on the padding may be changed when desired.

Ordinarily metal terrets are employed on gig saddles which in use arevery apt to wear sharp at the edges and to cut and destroy the reins.

Another part of my invention consists in the construction of the terretsof leather so that damage to the reins cannot occur and in so securingthe terrets that they may be turned readily to bring the wear on theopposite side of the terret.

In ordinary gig saddles the tug bearer straps are securely stitched tothe saddles so that if the horse should fall while in the shafts therecan be no give to the parts to relieve the strain and the shafts arevery apt to be broken. 7

A third part of my invention consists in the construction of a singletug strap passing from side to side of the saddle and supported on aroller underneath the saddle seat so that should any extra weight bethrown on one side of the tug strap, the strap will slip with referenceto the saddle.

In the drawings-Figurc 1, is a sectional view in elevation of a portionof the saddle, showing my invention. Fig. 2,is a cross-see tion of thesame taken centrally through the saddle. Fig. 3, is a top plan view ofsame with portions of the saddle broken away to show the construction.

A, is the skirt of the saddle composed of leather or any other suitablematerial, located 'on the under side of which and securely stitchedthereto, are the pads B, B. Between the pads and skirt there is formed alengthwise channel or socket by means of the strips of leather 0, asecured on each side of the skirt, and through this channel or socketthe tug bearer strap C is passed, the lower end of this strap beingprovided with any suitable means not shown, for the reception of theshafts of the vehicle.

At the central portion of the saddle between the skirt and the padcovering a, is formed another socket or channel 01, extending centrallyacross the saddle at right angles to the tug bearer strap.

D, is a plate of metal or other suitable material of suitable size, tobe inserted within this central socket d. This plate which is intendedto hold the check rein hook, I have called a check hook plate. Withinthis plate D a longitudinal recess e is formed to receive the roller Epreferably made of hardened steel, the tug bearer strap 0 passing overand resting on this roller. Vith this construction, instead of havingthe tug bearer strap in two parts, each secured to the saddle, I am ableto provide a single strap passing over the roller so that if any unduestrain is thrown on the one side of the strap, the strap can give,sliding on the roller E so that the strain is removed from the saddleproper. At one side of the recess e in the check hook plate D, is ascrew threaded hole f, to receive the screw g on the check rein hook F.At the other end of this check hook plate D, is a loop G which loopforms the means of attachment for the crupper strap. At the inside ofthis loop, an upwardly extending lug 72 is formed on the check hookplate D.

H is the saddle seat shaped in the usual way and provided with anopening at the upper end to allow for the passage of the check rein hookscrew g, taken into thecheck hook plate, the screw and hook serving tosecure the front of the seat to the saddle. To secure the rear end ofthe seat to the saddle, the lug h on the check hook plate D is providedwith a central opening within which takes a pin is on the under portionof the saddle seat. Instead of this particular construction it isobvious that other similar means may be employed for securing the seatto the check hook plate, for example, instead of the pin it, on thesaddle seat and a loop on the check hook plate to be engaged by same,the position of these parts may be reversed and the loop formed on therear of the saddle seat with pin or hook on the plate to engage same;

a, the two openings being at the same distance from the outer edges ofthe skirts.

Now when in use the padding has been worn 1n front, to reverse thesaddle so that the unworn portions of the padding shall then be in frontto come in contact with the shoulders of the horse, the check rein hookis unscrewed so that the saddle seat may be removed, the check hookplate drawn out of its socket and inserted on the other side of thesocket, the seat is then turned around fastening inthe oppositedirection and the check hook plate screwed back to, place, when as willbe seen, the saddle is reversed,the screw 9 then passing through theopening Z in the skirt and strip a.

The terrets L, L, are formed of leather, two pieces of leather folded,the one over the other, so as to form a ring and leaving the ends of theleather m, m, and n, n, extending out at right angles or radially fromthe'ends of the terret. These ends are passed through the jockey plates19, p, and the radial extensions of the terrets afford a means wherebythe terret is clamped between the jockey plate and the skirt by thescrews 5', s, which also secure the jockey plates to the skirt.Theconstruction of these terretsof leather and providing them with theseout-turned feet, enables me to reverse the terrets whenever they becomeworn on one side by the action of the reins. of leather also takes allthe wear off of the reins and no sharp edges can be formed by Wearthereon, to cut or destroy the reins.

Constructing the terrets Should it be desired to use my saddle forabreaking saddle, a strap provided wlth crupper loop and check strap canbe readily substituted for the metallic seat ordinarily used, and inthis event with my leather terrets nothing can be broken, should thehorse fall or roll on the saddle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a reversible saddle, the combination, with a saddle skirt andcover, and a permanent recess between said skirt and cover, of a plateand crupper loop integral therewith sliding in said recess, and means,such'as described for coupling the saddle seat to sa1d plate,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a reversible saddle, the combination, with a saddle skirt andcover, and a permanent recess between said skirt and cover, of a plateand crupper loop integral therewith sliding in said recess, saddle seat,with means, such as described, for coupling the same to the plate at oneend and a check rein hook to secure said seat and plate atthe other end,substantially as shown and described.

3. In a reversible saddlefithe combination, with a saddle skirt andcover provided with a permanent recess between the same, and said skirthaving openings into said recess from above at each end thereof, of aplate and crupper loop integral therewith sliding in said recess, saddleseat with means, such as described, for coupling same to the plate atoneend and check rein hook to secure said seat and plate at the other end,through either plate may be removed and reversed without taking thesaddle apart, substantially as shown and described. 1

4. In a gig saddle, the combination, with the skirt and pads, providedwitha permanent recess between the same extending through the saddlefrom side to side and having also a lengthwise recess or channel betweenthe same, of a plate and crupper loop integral therewith sliding in saidfirst mentioned recess, saddle seat, with means for attaching the sameto the plate at one end, and check rein hook to secure said plate andseat at the other end, and a single tug bearer strap riding in saidlengthwise channel, with roller thereon by which roller said strap issupported to allow a lengthwise movement thereof, substantially as shownand described.

5. In a gig saddle the combination with the skirt, of jockey plate withmeans for removably-securing it to the skirt and leather terretsprovided with out turned feet whereby the terrets may be clamped betweenthe jockey and skirt substantially as shown and described.

CORNELIUS A. WHITE.

Witnesses:

HENRY M. Po'r'rs, E. L. HARRIS.

of said openings in the skirt, whereby the IOC

